Lindsay Ell prepares for her Saddledome 'pinch me' moment opening for Shania Twain

Lindsay Ell is a TV talent show host who feels the performers' pain as much as they do.

The former Calgarian has a new gig hosting Canada's Got Talent (CGT), where she weighs in along with a celebrity panel of judges that includes Howie Mandel, Lilly Singh, Trish Status and Kardinal Offishall on the merits of contestants who appear on the show.

Ell spoke to CTV News anchor Ian White Wednesday about the new job, and other topics Wednesday.

"Every time one of them walks out on stage, my heart goes out to them, from being a fellow performer and knowing what those nerves are like," said Ell, who was discovered by none other than Randy Bachman as a 15-year-old guitar prodigy who used to gig around Calgary clubs accompanied by her dad.

"Also following your dreams," she added. "And knowing how intense that feeling can feel sometimes – so I am with them in lock step and I feel honoured to be able to be the last one before they go out and perform and the first one they get to talk to when they come off."

And as far as following your dreams goes, Ell's still doing that too.

She recently recorded a Shania Twain cover for Amazon Exclusive, and shortly after that, was invited to open for Twain on her latest tour, which includes a pair of Saddledome dates May 9-10.

For Ell, the present is a little like a magic mirror where she gets to turn back time to when she was a girl with a headful of country music dreams.

"Shania Twain was my idol when I was a little girl," she said. "I remember when I was 10 years old, wanting to be Shania! Wanting to sing Shania Twain songs in the mirror with a plastic microphone.

"And so now," she added, "fast forward a number of years, if you were to tell that same little girl she's going to be opening for Shania Twain on tour, I'd have told you you're crazy."

These days, when she's not hosting Canada's Got Talent, Ell is based in Nashville, where she's lived for 12 years.

Recently, she became a U.S. citizen, which Ell said came about as a result of her desire to participate in the civic life of her present community.

"It's just important to me to be able to participate in the community that I live in," she said. "I will forever be Canadian. I'm a dual citizen, but it's important to me that I can vote and do some of these things that are important when you live in the community that you do."

Being Canadian, Ell feels passionate about the opportunity Canada's Got Talent offers to aspiring artists of all sorts of different stripes.

"Canada has needed a cross-platform talent show for a long time," she said. "We have so much amazing talent come from our country, and the fact that we haven't had a talent show like this just seems wrong!

"CGT is very important," she added, "for showcasing the incredible talent we have in our country so that when you look at the famous singers and comedians and actors and actresses that have all come from Canada, a lot of them felt they had to go elsewhere to be seen, so this (CGT) helps show our talent and give our talent a world stage within our own country."

Ell has also been open about some of her own demons, including battling an eating disorder.

She said talking about your demons is one way to confront them – and to hopefully help others in similar boats.

 

 

 

 

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"Over the past few years, I've felt like if I don't share my story then I'm holding back the opportunity to maybe connect with somebody," she said. "A lot of my friends – my girlfriends specifically – whenever they've shared their stories with me, it's inspired me so much.

"When a friend of mine was talking about her eating disorder, it caused me to go see a doctor, and get some help, and come to some realizations," Ell added. "So I figured, if I was able to be vulnerable, to say those things, (then) maybe I could help somebody else in their life realize that oh, there is support and there is help out there, and we don't have to live with these heavy burdens along, all the time."

And now, Ell is preparing for May 9, when she returns to perform at the same venue she grew up watching a few musical legends, including the one she's opening for.

"I've seen so many shows in the Saddledome," Ell said, "and I remember sitting in the Saddledome, in different sections, and seeing different people (perform).

"The fact that I'm going to be on that stage, with one of my idols, in my hometown, is – it truly feels like a 'pinch me' moment!"